Week 8 Game Recap: Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Oakland Raiders 20

What you need to know

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB Ben Roethlisberger played despite suffering a mild concussion last week at Atlanta. But whether or not the injury affected him yesterday at Oakland, the fact was that he alone threw the game away with his decision making, thanks to four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns by the Raiders. The Steelers out-gained the Raiders 390-152 in total yards (360-98 net yards), including 301 passing yards to 51. But the seemingly one-sided offensive performance by the Steelers was washed away by Roethlisberger’s costly turnovers and otherwise poor pocket presence, despite a decent day on the stat sheet (25 of 37, %67.6).

The Steelers would reach Oakland territory on its final five drives but they could score only one touchdown, tossing away two more interceptions and turning the ball over once on downs and failing to score on two trips inside the ten yard line.

WR Hines Ward collected the majority of passes with 81 yards on eight receptions and Cedrick Wilson added five for 53. Five other Steelers’ receivers had two receptions including RB Willie Parker, who scored Pittsburgh’s only touchdown on a 25-yard screen pass midway through the fourth quarter. WR Nate Washington caught a 49 yard Hail Mary pass as time expired, but he was tackled just shy of the end zone.

Parker had a rough day running, although he did manage 83 yards on 22 carries, thanks to a 39 yard burst in the fourth quarter. Otherwise it was a long day for him and backup Najeh Davenport (four carries, one yard), who were constantly met behind the line of scrimmage and had 13 combined carries for one yard or less, due to both Oakland’s aggressiveness and the poor play of Pittsburgh’s offensive line.

Promised by HC Bill Cowher to discipline his team of any sideshow antics and/or stupid penalties, the once savvy Steelers were flagged six times for 70 yards. An unnecessary roughness was called on LB Joey Porter and consecutive unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on LB Larry Foote and Porter. DE Aaron Smith was slapped with a 15 yard penalty for a horse collar tackle.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders gained the fewest net yards in team history (98) in a winning effort. They were one of 11 on third downs and managed just two field goals on 11 offensive possessions. QB Andrew Walter did little to help rumors that he could stay in the lineup once starter Aaron Brooks returns from a strained pectoral muscle. Walter was five of 14 passing for an anemic 51 yards. Only one of his passes could be described as solid, a 19 yard strike to WR Jerry Porter in traffic inside the Steelers’ five yard line. Two dropped passes by WR Randy Moss would have given Walter a .500 completion percentage.

Despite those drops, Moss led the Raiders with two catches for 20 yards. Porter’s 19 yard catch was good for second on Oakland receivers list, followed by WR Ronald Curry (1-9) and RB Zack Crockett (1-3).

Crockett got a surprise start at running back and darted for seven yards on his first carry. He finished with seven yards on three carries. The Raiders mostly used a mix of RBs Justin Fargas and Lamont Jordan, who played a limited number of plays, mostly in the second half, because of a sore back. Fargas ran hard in gaining 55 yards on 18 carries and Jordan pitched in 21 yards on seven carries.

Oakland’s defense, however, did more than enough to make up for its offensive ineptitude. The Raiders picked off four passes including two for touchdowns, one by CB Nnamdi Asomugha for 24 yards in the first quarter and the eventual game winner by CB Chris Carr who raced for a 100 yard score, just as the Steelers were knocking on the door to tie the game. Oakland, who had the 26th ranked run defense, held the Steelers to just 89 yards on the ground and 3.2 yards per carry. LB Kirk Morrison had nine tackles and an interception and LB Derrick Burgess had two and a half sacks.

What you ought to know

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 25 - 37 - 301 - 1 TD / 4 INT, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0

Roethlisberger’s post concussion symptoms will certainly be a hot topic in the aftermath of his worst game as a professional, and/or whether or not he should have even played. But what won’t be debated is much some poor decisions cost the team. Roethlisberger completed 67.5% of his passes (25-of-37), but it was his decision making and lack of decision making (he was sacked six times because of his inability to get rid of the ball) that cost his team the game.

His first interception was a deep pass into double coverage. His second interception was a tipped pass (in his defense) but the pass was forced over the middle in heavy traffic and it was plucked out of the air and returned for a touchdown. His third INT was the worst of them all, as he tried to jam a pass into triple coverage at the goal line to WR Nate Washington and CB Chris Carr took it on the fly for 100 yards for a touchdown. Roethlisberger’s final INT was a fourth and one pass over the middle to WR Hines Ward, but LB Kirk Morrison was waiting for it and barley had to move to pick it off.

Roethlisberger still managed 301 passing yards and a 25 yard touchdown pass to RB Willie Parker, and at times made some quality throws. He nearly bailed himself and his team out of jail with a 49 yard Hail Mary pass to Washington, but it was just short of the goal line as time expired.

RB Willie Parker, Rush: 22 - 83 - 0, Rec: 2 - 28 - 1 (2 targets)

Parker was at the mercy of his offensive line, which did little to create the holes he needs to break off the knockout punch he’s accustomed to delivering. He struggled to gain 83 yards on 22 carries, nearly half of which were gained on one carry for 39 yards in the fourth quarter. He had 11 carries that went for one yard or less as he was often met at or behind the line of scrimmage. Parker did catch a screen pass and pick his way around his blocks for a 25 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. All in all a good numbers day, but it wasn’t pretty.

RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 4 - 1 - 0

Davenport had two gains of seven yards and two gains of minus six yards. He was stopped for minus two yards on a third and one from the Oakland 19, limiting Pittsburgh to a field goal, and was dropped for negative four yards on the Raiders’ two yard line at the two minute warning in the fourth quarter. He was then flagged for false start on the next play. Davenport added 40 yards on kick returns.

RB Dan Kreider, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (2 targets)

Kreider caught two passes for 20 yards which is the most he’s gained since Week 11 of the 2004 season.

RB Verron Haynes, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets)

Haynes is probably done for the year, according to HC Bill Cowher, after he hobbled off the field with a knee injury. Specifics were not released, other than the initial estimate of a lost season. RB Duce Staley will likely replace him on the active roster. Haynes caught a screen pass for an 11 yard gain and a first down in the second quarter, which would help set up a Steelers’ field goal.

WR Hines Ward, Rec: 8 - 81 - 0 (10 targets)

Ward led the Steelers with 81 yards on eight receptions. He caught fire in the second half, in particular the fourth quarter as the Steelers were playing catch up, down seven and 14 points most of the game. Ward had long gains of 27 and 19 yards in the fourth quarter, but both drives came up empty. He was the target of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s fourth interception, on a fourth and one, and caught two passes inside the Raiders’ five yard line, but was stopped at the one and three yard lines respectively.

WR Cedrick Wilson, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 5 - 53 - 0 (7 targets)

Like fellow receiver Hines Ward, Wilson also did most of his damage in the fourth quarter, catching four of his five passes in the final eight minutes of the game. He caught consecutive passes for eight and 13 yards to keep the Steelers only touchdown drive alive. He was also the target of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s second interception, which was returned for a 24 yard touchdown.

WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 2 - 43 - 0 (2 targets)

Holmes caught the Steelers' longest pass of the day, when he hauled in a 38 yard pass over his shoulder down the left sideline in man coverage. He was also the target of a forced pass in the end zone late in the game on fourth down, but it was broken up. He remained inconsistent on punt returns, with some questionable fair catch calls inside his own ten yard line. He had 15 punt return yards and an 18 yard kickoff return.

WR Nate Washington, Rec: 1 - 49 - 0 (3 targets)

Washington was the target on two of QB Ben Roethlisberger interceptions. One was a deep ball, where he was double covered and over thrown, leaving him no chance of making the catch, and the other was in the end zone in triple coverage, when CB Chris Carr stepped in front of the pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. His only reception was on a Hail Mary at the end of the game, when he caught the pass at the four yard line and was immediately tackled as time expired.

TE Heath Miller, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (4 targets)

Miller caught two passes for ten yards, both for five yards, but was otherwise a non-factor in yesterday’s game.

PK Jeff Reed 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points

Reed hit field goals of 29 and 39 yards and converted his lone extra point attempt.

PIT Rush Defense

The Steelers were solid in allowing the Raiders to 2.8 yards per carry and 81 rushing yards. 27 of those yards came in the final few minutes of the first half in allowing a Raiders’ field goal, but Pittsburgh did not allow any runner to a gain longer of nine yards. Larry Foote led the Steelers with eight total tackles.

PIT Pass Defense

Pittsburgh held QB Andrew Walter to 51 passing yards on just five completions. The Steelers had six sacks, two by LBs Clark Haggans and Joey Porter. Porter also had an interception on a tipped pass and Haggans added seven total tackles.

QB Andrew Walter, Pass: 5 - 14 - 51 - 0 TD / 1 INT

Believe it or not, one could make the argument that Walter had a better day than his counter part Ben Roethlisberger. Sure, he threw for 250 less yards, completed 20 fewer passes and did not register a touchdown, but he also threw three fewer interceptions, with his one resulting in zero points for the opposition. He was the victim of two dropped passes, both for potential first downs, but he was pretty erratic throughout the game, well off the mark to his intended targets. His best pass came in the second quarter to WR Jerry Porter for 19 yards, on a bullet over the middle to the sliding receiver to the Steelers’ four yard line. But he would throw two incompletions from the one yard line to well covered targets.

RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 18 - 55 - 0

Fargas led the Raiders with 55 hard earned yards. He was not overpowering and did not break many tackles, but was rarely seen getting pushed around and routinely pushed his momentum forward while getting dragged down. He alone picked up 27 yards on the Raiders final drive in the second quarter, leading to a Sebastian Janikowski field goal to give the Raiders a 13-6 halftime lead. Fargas then split time with regular starter Lamont Jordan, who is still nursing a sore back, during the second half.

RB LaMont Jordan, Rush: 7 - 21 - 0 (1 targets)

Jordan had only one carry in the first half for five yards, but later gained 16 yards in the second half on his six second half carries. He did not look 100% as he’s still recovering from a sore back and did not display his usual power, but his playing time increased as the game wore on. Barring any set backs in practice this week, it seems as if Jordan will continue to work his way back into the Raiders’ lineup.

RB Zack Crockett, Rush: 3 - 7 - 0, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets)

Crockett got a rare start at RB and gained seven yards on his first carry. He would gain zero yards on his next two carries and catch one pass for three yards in limited action after the opening drive.

WR Randy Moss, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (5 targets)

Moss was the Raiders’ receiving leader with two catches and 20 yards. He was booed mercilessly by the home crowd after dropping two passes, one right off his hands on third and 16 which would’ve been good for a first down, and the other on third and five, also good for a first down, when he caught a case of the alligator arms.

WR Ronald Curry, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets)

Curry caught one pass for nine yards. Like all Raiders’ receivers, he had little impact on the game.

WR Jerry Porter, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (3 targets)

Porter was a surprise activation and start this week after serving a two game suspension for insubordination at the expense of HC Art Shell. Porter had been in Shell’s doghouse all season and had yet to suit up for the Raiders in the regular season. He made a sliding 19 yard catch inside the Steelers five yard line to help set up PK Sebastian Janikowski’s second field goal and was the target of QB Andrew Walter’s only interception.

WR Alvis Whitted

Whitted was relegated to the number three receiver with the promotion of Jerry Porter, but he did not even have a pass thrown his way the entire game.

TE Courtney Anderson (2 targets)

Anderson was the target of a play action end zone pass from the one yard line, but he was triple covered. He was also wide open down the middle of the field on a deep ball, but was severely under thrown by QB Andrew Walter.

PK Sebastian Janikowski 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points

Janikowski chipped in a 19 yard field goal and booted another from 41 yards. He converted both extra point attempts and forced two touchbacks on kickoffs.

OAK Rush Defense

The Raiders came into the game as the 26th ranked rushing defense, allowing 132.5 yards per game, but they held the Steelers to 89 yards rushing and 3.2 yards per carry. Outside of a 39 yard gain by RB Willie Parker, and the Raiders stuffed the line of scrimmage. LB Kirk Morrison led Oakland with nine tackles and Thomas Howard had seven total tackles, including two for losses in the final three minutes as the Steelers were inside the five yard line.

OAK Pass Defense

The Raiders’ secondary got chewed up for 301 passing yards, but made up for it by picking off four passes, and returning two for touchdowns. Nnamdi Asomugha returned one for 24 yards and Chris Carr raced for a 100 yard touchdown. Rookie CB Fabian Washington and LB Kirk Morrison had the other two INTs. Asomugha also added nine tackles and the Raiders collected six sacks, two and a half by LB Derrick Burgess.